Reconnecting with The Sixties with a Little Bit O’ Soul
I love the 1960’s. The golden era if you will. Daily, I hear songs that I have not heard in 15 years and fall in love with them again. I will have to thank Sirius 60’s on 6 and Turntable.fm for their 60’s activation strategies. It is almost like these networks expedite a destiny that was just meant to happen.
Enter recent reconnection with a Mansfield, Ohio Garage Rock quintet, The Music Explosion: “A Little Bit O’ Soul.”
This killajam was written by legendary songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis in 1967. Carter’s contributions include: Herman’s Hermits “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat“(1965) and Peter & Gordon “Sunday for a Tea” (1967). Ken Lewis displayed his creative penmanship on cuts like Brenda Lee “Is It True?” (1964) and provided backing vocals for The Who’s first single “I Can’t Explain” (1964). Carter’s “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” matches “Little Bit O’ Soul” as his highest position at #2 on The Billboard Top 100. To near the top you need a message. Oh boy, do we have one.
This song sticks out to me because of the vibe it offers:
Now when your girl is gone and you’re broke in two
You need a little bit o’ soul to see you through
And when you raise the roof with your rock’n’roll
You’ll get a lot more kicks with a little bit o’ soul
Basically, these cats are saying that the perfect remedy for a break up is positive energy and blasting rock n’ roll. The positive energy that this message spews is something that we all need to embed in ourselves not only during times of relationship woes, but in the day-to-day grind.
Parking Ticket? Little Bit O’ Soul. Bad hangover? Little Bit O’Soul. Typo on an email to the Executive staff? Little Bit O’ Soul. Shampoo in your eyes? It’ll be cured with a Little Bit O’ Soul
What a memorandum and what a song. Carry it with you and enjoy life with a smile on your face.
The Ramones, Grunge era, and even current acts like Sonny & the Sunsets must pay gratitude for these gospel throwers. Thanks for the message Music Explosion. THANK YOU!
The Music Explosion – Little Bit O’ Soul
The Ramones – Sheena is a Punk Rocker
Nirvana – In Bloom
Sonny & The Sunsets – Too Young to Burn
Written by Brett McGrath
Video List: IndyMcGrath’s Top Cover Songs of 2011
Love them or hate them, people are always talking about them. I have yet to notice anyone else make a 2k11 list covering covers. My selections for the best songs from previous recordings are as follows:
13 Real Estate – Barely Legal (The Strokes)
I could not be any more pumped up for the upcoming Strokes cover album Stroked. If the rest of the disc stacks up to the first single from Real Estate, we are all in for a real treat. Congrats, Real Estate, on making this song your own–no small task.
12 The Black Keys – Dearest (Buddy Holly)
The Black Keys work wonders on their take on this Buddy Holly classic. Short, sweet and fantastic. The Keys at their simplest, which is always a good thing.
11 Morning Benders – Lovefool (The Cardigans)
Hand claps, acoustic guitar and three part harmonies. Rarely do I say that a cover surpasses the original, but this sure as hell comes close. A helluva rendition of the classic guilty pleasure from Swedish rockers The Cardigans.
10 Friendly Fires – I’m Good, I’m Gone (Lykkie Li)
What better way to add buzz to their latest release, Pala, than to put out of cover of a song that people can’t hate. These guys have a formula and it is continuing to work.
9 She & Him – Oh Boy (Buddy Holly)
When I heard that a tribute album to Buddy Holly was going to be dropped this year I thought “Oh Boy”! Unsure of what to expect I found exactly what I was looking for with this track.
8 Fitz and the Tantrums – Arthur’s Theme (Christopher Cross)
This is a silly cover from a silly movie by a band getting a lot of buzz this year. I love it.
7 Hooray for Earth – Lewis Takes Action (Owen Pallet Cover)
This band has caused me to take a step back ever since I started listening to them. No Love, True Loves, and Sails make their full-length debut stand strong. This cover makes me think they are going to be around a while.
6 Bat for Lashes – Strangelove (Depeche Mode)
Natasha Khan continues to be the mark for indie innovation. This pairing just makes sense to me.
5 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Higher Love (Steve Winwood)
After Dodge posted the video of them covering this at the White Cabaret in Indianapolis I was extremely jealous for being out of town. If this does not win you over, I am not quite sure what will. Their cover of The Beach Boys “God Only Knows” deserves to be on this list as well.
4 James Blake – A Case of You (Joni Mitchell)
James Blake and the Dub-step movement has been one of the hottest topics of 2k11. This song makes me believe there is some legitimacy to it.
3 Mr. Little Jeans – Suburbs (Arcade Fire)
Sometimes groups get popular after they have maxed out on buzz via a cover (i.e. First Aid Kit – Tiger Mountain Peasant Song). I thought it would be impossible to cover anything off this album. I was wrong.
2 Bon Iver – I Can Make You Love Me / Nick of Time (Bonnie Raitt)
Justin Vernon’s release this year deserves to be album of the year, win a Grammy, and be talked about for the rest of eternity. Opting to play this to national audiences instead of a track on his latest release tells you how good he thinks this is and I would have to agree.
1 Dum Dum Girls – There is a Light That Never Goes Out (Smiths)
This beats out Bon Iver because of the happiness it brings to the table. This cover has given me a newfound respect these four Californian garage poppers. This is number one because I do not think of it just as a cover, I consider it one of my favorite songs of the year.
Written by Brett McGrath
Thoughts on the Tragedy: Sugarland Stage Collapse: Indiana State Fair
A few days have passed, and I have had time to digest the tragedy that took place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds over the weekend. For those residing beneath boulders, five people were killed and dozens injured when a stage collapsed just before the country duo Sugarland was scheduled to perform. Sudden gusts of 70-plus mph winds are the likely culprit, but an investigation as to whether the tragedy could have been avoided is under way.
Regardless of where the blame inevitably falls, what took place in Indianapolis on Saturday has already left an indelible mark upon a town that tends to forget just how small it is. I was across town when the stage toppled. The news came via radio on my drive toward MOKB Presents Lucy Woodward at White Rabbit Cabaret. There was still much confusion, and reports as to the seriousness of the incident remained muddled.
Thought on Tracks contributor Brett McGrath was at a party with college friends when his brother Kyle telephoned frantically. Kyle had purchased tickets for the pit at the Sugarland show, but had been forced to back out due to a wedding. Brett had passed the tickets along to a co-worker who purchased them for his parents. The brothers spent the bulk of their Saturday evening sending panicked e-mails and telephone calls before learning that the friend’s parents were safe and sound.
Such is life in Indy, where events are rarely isolated. In the days since the collapse, stories of those connected to the event have surfaced at every turn. Hoosiers are left picking up the pieces as nightmarish photographs and videos scroll across national news stations. The Fair has cancelled performances by Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum scheduled for later in the week. Plans for an alternate venue for Train and Maroon 5 will be announced today.
Only once have I been able to stomach the video footage of the falling stage at the Fairgrounds. To put it simply, it hits too close to home. In the summer, a weekend rarely passes without my attendance at some sort of live music. The incident serves as a terrifying reminder of all that I take for granted as a spectator. We walk blindly into these events assuming that every stagehand and volunteer has performed to the best of their ability.
I sincerely hope, for all involved, that Saturday was no different. That the event staff took every conceivable precaution and the worst still happened. In all likelihood, we will never know with certainty. Life is unfair that way, leaving only questions when we so desperately seek answers. All we can do is learn from the experience and remember those that fell at the next show, wherever that may be.
Written by Rob Peoni